Sydney Roosters star Sam Walker is hopeful he remains at the club beyond his current deal, with his agents looking to bridge a $1 million gap in his deal.
Reports over several weeks have indicated that Walker was offered a four-year, $5.6 million deal that included ratchet clauses, guaranteeing his salary rises along with the salary cap.i
However, The Sydney Morning Herald has recently reported a development in what Walker and his camp hope to receive from the Roosters.
While the contract talks are on hold for the rest of the season, Walker’s camp is hoping to pursue a four-year, $6.8 million deal with the Roosters, paying him up to $1.7 million per season.
The Sydney Roosters have had an incredible season in 2026, recently claiming first position on the ladder after defeating the Penrith Panthers 14-6 on Thursday night.
Sam Walker made his debut in 2021, replacing Luke Keary, who had suffered an ACL injury, and almost everybody but the Roosters doubted them to make the finals that season.
Since then, the star he was expected to be has risen; he has put everyone on notice with his performances this season and was selected for the Queensland Maroons in this year’s Origin series after Tom Dearden went down with an injury.
Currently, Walker is on the contract that was signed after the 2023 season, when he agreed to a three-year extension as a free agent at the end of the 2024 season.
Earlier in the week, Trent Robinson was frustrated with details of the meetings being leaked.
“It’s strange how it’s come out… It’s pretty clear how that comes out from management…, and that’s pretty disappointing”, Robinson expressed on Wednesday.
In late July, Robinson spoke positively about Walker as a player, with the club believing in him as a once-in-a-generation type of player.
“He’s been here since 2019, since he’s been a kid, since he’s left school,” the coach stated.
“It’s been pretty clear the development pathways since he’s been here, and he’s still young.”
“We believe in Sammy.”
The meeting that put a pause on the contract talks was held with Walker’s agents, Clinton Schifcofske and Steve Gggillis, Roosters board member Andrew Jolliffe, Mitchell Aubusson, the general manager, and Joel Carbone, the club’s head of recruitment.
Sam Walker led the conversations and insisted it was the wrong time to negotiate.
Although the Roosters expected to sign him during that meeting and are still hoping to agree to a deal before Walker hits the market on November 1, the playmaker deciding to talk about a deal at a later date was “music to their ears.”
There has also reportedly been background checking around Nathan Cleary, although there’s no suggestion Walker is pushing to leave the Roosters.
Now, the Roosters and Walker will focus on their pursuit of a premiership, hoping to finish the season on a high note when they play the Wests Tigers next Sunday afternoon, the Dolphins, before they play the Rabbitohs.
Winning those three games would extend their winning streak to 11 games before the first week of the finals and win their first minor premiership since 2018.
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